After observing them for some time, Ye Ting concluded that most of the soldiers and a small number of the peasants were not returning to the ruins to scavenge for the first time.
They worked together with great proficiency. The soldiers stood guard around the perimeter while the laborers swiftly entered the ruins of each building, often stripping a building clean of usable supplies in no time—mainly ironware, cloth, and undamaged tools and utensils.
Of course, there were occasional unpleasant scenes.
Ye Ting personally saw a young, frail laborer discover some food and succumb to the urge to sneak a bite. He was caught by one of the supervising soldiers and beaten savagely.
"How could those soldiers do that..." Held against Ye Ting's chest, Calia could only fume under her breath. "Those laborers are all skin and bones. Why can't they be allowed to eat a little food? And they beat him so badly—look, they nearly killed that child. Why wouldn't you let me go out and stop them?"
"It is indeed excessive, but this is not the time for you to reveal yourself." Ye Ting shook his head and said calmly, "You must remember who you are. You are no longer the princess you once were, but this nation's future ruler. As a ruler, you cannot act on impulse when facing evil. You must see the whole picture before making a judgment."
"Those soldiers are making ordinary laborers go hungry, then brutally beating them over something so minor. Isn't that the whole picture?" Calia protested.
"Yes, but that is not all."
Ye Ting shook his head. Seeing the confusion in the girl's eyes, he explained, "Those soldiers are only soldiers. They may be doing this of their own accord, but it is more likely they received orders from above.